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Brazil's Marquise Ambiental invests in 6 RNG plants
Brazil's Marquise Ambiental invests in 6 RNG plants
Sao Paulo, 12 March (Argus) — Brazilian landfill company Marquise Ambiental will invest R400mn ($68mn) in six biogas plants with an estimated total output of around 40.8mn m³/yr. The six plants will be in southeastern Sao Paulo state, northeastern Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte states, and northern Rondonia and Amazonas states, the company said. The Amazonas state plant, in the capital Manaus, is set to produce up to 18mn m³/yr of biogas and should prevent 300,000 metric tonnes (t) of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) from being released into the atmosphere. The Sao Paulo plant is forecast to produce 4.6mn m³/yr, while the Ceara plant is set to produce 2.8mn m³/yr. Meanwhile, the Rio Grande do Norte state plants, Braseco and Potiguar, are forecast to have output of 9mn m³/yr and 4mn m³/yr, respectively. The Rondonia plant is set to have an output of 2.1mn m³/yr, according to the company. The investment will happen in the next three years, but the company did not disclose when operations at each plant will begin. Marquise Ambiental has one 36.5mn m³/yr plant operating in Ceara , dubbed GNR Fortaleza. It is a joint venture between the firm and gas company Ecometano. By Maria Frazatto Planned Marquise biogas plants m³/yr Name State Capacity Osasco Sao Paulo 4,687,000 Braseco Rio Grande do Norte 9,007,000 Potiguar Rio Grande do Norte 4,097,000 Aquiraz Ceara 2,853,000 Manaus Amazonas 18,092,000 Porto Velho Rondonia 2,160,000 Total 40,896,000 Marquise Ambiental Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Muted Norwegian gas flows in Jan-Feb follow forecast
Muted Norwegian gas flows in Jan-Feb follow forecast
London, 28 February (Argus) — Nominated flows to Europe from Norway have held below 2024 so far this year, but this decline is roughly in line with the Norwegian Offshore Directorate's (NOD) revised forecast for gas output. Nominated Norwegian flows to Europe, including the UK, averaged 327.5mn m³/d on 1 January-27 February, down by 4pc from 340.4mn m³/d a year earlier ( see flows graph ), data from Norwegian offshore system operator Gassco show. But nominated deliveries from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) to Europe were particularly high in January last year at 348.2mn m³/d — the second-highest for any month since January 2017. Norwegian flows to Europe held in a range of 295-318.2mn m³/d per year in 2021-23 and averaged 317.4mn m³/d across last year. But factoring out May and September last year, when maintenance on the shelf was the heaviest, average flows were 329.5mn m³/d. Unplanned maintenance has cut into exports On top of already scheduled works, unplanned maintenance has cut into production availability at several Norwegian fields so far this year. Average capacity cuts at Norwegian fields were 11.9mn m³/d in January and 6mn m³/d on 1-27 February, the latest Gassco data show. This is up on the year from capacity reductions of 4.2mn m³/d and 5.6mn m³/d for the respective periods. Gassco's schedule of works does not include capacity restrictions of less than 5mn m³. And past and scheduled Remit messages on the Gassco website include maintenance at 21 producing fields, but there are "currently above 65 producing units delivering into system", the operator has said. Norwegian exports to Europe can also be limited by works at processing plants, although this impact is difficult to assess as production from some fields can be processed at more than one processing plant,is processed at the field or at a receiving terminal. As such, available Norwegian export capacity can at times be lower than works at fields suggest. Nominated flows to Europe peaked at 360.3mn m³ on 19 December 2023 in recent years, even though technical capacity of export infrastructure is higher. Taking this figure as maximum export capacity to Europe, there has been a gap between actual and potential flows in recent months ( see actual versus potential flows graph ). NOD revised down forecast gas output for 2025 The NOD forecast that gas output on the NCS will fall faster on the year in 2025 than previously projected. The NOD forecast NCS gas production to fall this year from 2024 by 5pc to 118.45bn m³ or 324.5mn m³/d this year, according to data published on 20 February. This is a downward revision from its previous projection of 120.4bn m³ or 329.7mn m³/d. This would correspond to a year-on-year decline of 3pc from 2024. The forecast decline in output may have contributed to the drop in exports so far this year, although there is no confirmed production data yet available. The NOD forecast does not factor in commercial flexibility, where firms producing on the shelf may defer some production volumes in reaction to market conditions. In particular, production at the giant Troll field and fields in the Oseberg area, which account for a significant share of overall NCS production, are important flexible assets. Troll produced 119.5mn m³/d and Oseberg fields 24.2mn m³/d last year. While the shape of the TTF forward-price curve has changed in recent days as TTF prompt prices have fallen more than contracts further out along the curve, there remains an incentive to maximise production now looking longer term ( see price graph ), suggesting limited scope for production deferrals. In addition, forecasts by the NOD are likely based on the schedule of works at the time of modelling, but further gas works are often added over time and unplanned outages can occur, as has been the case so far this year. Maintenance at Norwegian fields is scheduled to be significantly lighter in March-December than in the period last year. Capacity cuts at the fields were scheduled as of today to be 14mn m³/d over the next 10 months, peaking at 48.6mn m³/d in September. This is down from realised capacity cuts of 29.7mn m³/d in March-December last year and a peak of 111.9mn m³/d in September 2024. In any event, the 4pc on-the-year decline so far this year is not far from the forecast decrease of 5pc. LNG could fill in for lower Norwegian exports LNG deliveries might need to step up this year to fill in for lower Norwegian exports to Europe. Given the expected reduction of NCS gas output of 5.79bn m³ this year from 2024, assuming an average LNG vessel size at 174,000m³ and accounting for boil-off and heel — LNG which remains in the vessel when unloading — Europe would need an additional 61 LNG cargoes this year to substitute the drop in Norwegian pipeline deliveries. And given the halt in Ukrainian transit of Russian gas at the start of the year, combined with continental storage stocks at a multi-year low approaching the end of the winter, it is likely Europe will need to attract even more LNG cargoes to comply with EU-mandated storage filling targets for 1 November. By Jana Cervinkova Norwegian nominated flows to Europe from Jan '21 until 1-27 Feb '25 mn m³/d Actual nominated vs potential daily Norwegian exports to Europe mn m³ TTF forward curve at the close on 27 February €/MWh Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Turkish gas demand hits all-time highs
Turkish gas demand hits all-time highs
London, 26 February (Argus) — Turkish gas consumption has soared to record highs in recent days, supported by heating demand, gas-fired generation and new grid connections, but weather forecasts suggest that demand could fall in the coming weeks. Daily consumption in Turkey has set several records this month, including an all-time high of 333.7mn m³/d on 24 February, grid operator Botas said on Wednesday. Daily consumption has repeatedly surpassed 300mn m³/d in recent weeks, with volumes exiting the grid averaging 287mn m³/d over 1-25 February, Epias transparency platform data show. Those figures are well above the averages for February of 199mn m³/d last year and 230mn m³/d in 2023. Turkish gas demand totalled 14.2bn m³ on 1 January-23 February, up from 11.4bn m³ a year earlier and 11.6bn m³ in the same period in 2023, based on ministry data factoring in production, imports and the use of storage. As in neighbouring Greece, where demand hit a record high earlier this week , cold weather has been a strong demand driver this year, as gas is widely used for space heating in Turkey. Temperatures have frequently been below 10-year averages in parts of the country, with lows in Istanbul and Izmir holding below zero since 21 February and minimum temperatures in Ankara falling as low as -14°C on 24 February, when daily consumption was the strongest on record. Homes and non-industrial businesses have accounted for 44pc of overall demand this year, while industry has made up 31pc and gas-fired power plants 25pc, according to the energy ministry. A distribution network expansion may have also supported demand. The Turkish grid grew last year to provide access to 60 more districts and 1.1mn new users, the energy ministry said earlier this month. A total of 913 districts now have access to gas, with plans to add 90 this year and 44 in 2026, the ministry added. At the same time, power-sector gas demand has risen in 2025. Despite aggregate Turkish demand this year being higher than in 2024 and 2023, gas-fired plants accounted for 25pc of all Turkish gas demand on 1 January-23 February this year and all of last year, up from 22pc in 2023. Gas-fired plants have consumed 52mn m³/d this month, up from 50.4mn m³/d in January and more than double a year earlier ( see graph ). National statistics office Turkstat's industrial production index held below a year earlier in May-October 2024, but rose by 1.5pc on the year in November and 7pc in December. This might have also boosted a steep rise in Turkish demand from November 2024, with country-wide demand surpassing 54bn m³ last year . But forecasts on Wednesday suggest that daily lows in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir will hold around the 10-year average into March, with overnight lows even exceeding seasonal norms from 10 March. This could reduce overall demand in the coming days, alleviating the significant pressure currently experienced by the grid. By Ugur Yildirim Power sector gas demand daily averages Jan-Feb '000 Sm³ Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Summer gas restocking risks could drive prices: Verbund
Summer gas restocking risks could drive prices: Verbund
Essen, 11 February (Argus) — EU member states should consider how to avoid inverted seasonal spreads once again leading to a strong rise in EU gas prices, Austrian utility Verbund's chief executive Michael Strugl has told Argus . Managing summer injections will partly depend on end-of-winter stocks, Strugl said. EU legislation requires the bloc to fill at least 90pc of its storage capacity by 1 November, so all of Europe might need to buy gas to refill stocks after a cold winter, especially without Ukraine allowing the transit of Russian gas, he said. This move to buy could drive up prices, depending on hub liquidity, he said, adding that governments should "consider carefully what a wise and prudent approach could be" to avoid market reactions like in 2022. From late February 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, the TTF summer 2022 price rose above the winter 2022-23 contract, reaching a premium of €59.66/MWh on 8 March 2022. A substantial reduction in Russian flows to Europe sparked fears about the stockfill, leading to "incredible heights in gas prices paid by consumers and states", Strugl said. But Europe has since taken manifold precautions to avoid repeating that situation, including joint gas purchasing, he said. Austria's 20TWh state reserve and high ratio of storage capacity to demand can help ensure the country's supply in winter 2025-26, Strugl said. Austria [also imposes a storage obligation on firms with end consumers](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2466400), with the amount determined by whether they can prove their supply is of non-Russian origin. European gas flows changed substantially after 2022, leaving Austria well prepared for imports from other routes, Strugl said. And Austria had prepared for the end of Ukrainian transit from 1 January, but increased withdrawals driven by weather over the rest of this winter could still contribute to refilling risks this summer, he said. Wag loop start-up The so-called Wag loop project to boost pipeline capacity to Austria from Germany failed to reach a final investment decision (FID) last year, but remains on schedule, Strugl told Argus . After Ukraine stopped Russian gas transit at the start of this year, Austria strongly increased imports from Germany through the Western Austria Gas Pipeline (Wag). The Wag loop would increase entry capacity from Germany at Oberkappel by around 30pc, equal to 27 TWh/yr or roughly 74 GWh/d. The lack of an FID on the Wag loop does not represent a delay, Strugl said. Austrian network operator GCA is "progressing well", having completed land acquisition and an environmental impact assessment, and it is on track to be commissioned by 2027, he said. The Austrian government in March last year announced €70mn in subsidies for the Wag loop . By Till Stehr Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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